Get the latest Technology News

Microsoft has introduced two add-on packages for businesses, which currently use the Microsoft 365 E3 subscription, which is not entirely sinks.

The new offers: "Identity & Threat Protection" and "Information Information & Compliance." They will be available for purchase from February 1st.

Although Microsoft has not said so many, the two will address companies already subscribing to the Microsoft 365 Enterprise E3 plan for $ 34 per user per month.

Exactly, said Wes Miller of Directions on Microsoft. "My penchant is that [these new offers are] a packaging tool for E3 customers who are only interested in the security of E5 or the compliance of E5, "said Miller.

Miller was talking about the Microsoft 365 Enterprise E5 plan, a subscription of $ 59 per user per month, which includes security and compliance components to be sold as standalone add-ons for E3 customers.

Microsoft 365, aka M365, is the generic term used to refer to the relatively new subscription, launched for the first time in 2017, which encompasses Windows 10, Office 365, and a suite of management tools in a single package . M365 is available in several inventory management units, including M365 Enterprise, Business, Education, Nonprofit, Government and F1. The latter solution is a cheaper package for what Microsoft calls "front-line" workers, those who advertise sales, take calls, or spend their hours in factories or in the field.

Microsoft has implicitly designated M365 as the cornerstone of its software strategy as a client-side service. "The sales motion is really about Microsoft 365," said Amy Hood, chief financial officer of Microsoft, in response to a question asked during the last call for results with Wall Street.

Protection of identity and threats will include Microsoft Threat Protection, the combination of ATP (Azure Advanced Threat Protection), ATP Windows Defender and Office 365 ATP, which is one of the most important draws for E5. It will also offer other elements only E5, such as Microsoft Cloud App Security. Price: $ 12 per user per month.

Information Protection and Compliance separate two other elements of E5 – Azure Information Protection and Office 365 Advance Compliance – which are the main components responsible for protecting and preserving documents, as well as e-mails and other data governed by government regulations. Price: $ 10 per user and per month.

Miller was confident that potential buyers would choose one or the other, but not both, as the combined cost of the pair was just $ 3 less than the M365 Enterprise price hike. E3 and E5.

Why is Microsoft doing this?

Microsoft director Ron Markezich, who oversees the M365 lineup, described why he proposed the two new add-ons. "New [offerings] are designed to provide customers with a simpler purchase, deployment, and adoption of these security and compliance workloads, "said Markezich in a January 2 message posted on a company blog.

But why would Microsoft have sold such important parts of M365 Enterprise E5? After all, the security features of E5 are what makes it, well, E5. "The ATP defines in particular the E5 plan," said Miller about the various pieces of Threat Protection, which, until now, were exclusively reserved for E5.

Miller has outlined several reasons why Microsoft has done so, although at first glance the result may seem to diminish the value of M365 Enterprise E5.

"We have heard, almost universally, whether in our Boot Camps or on Twitter, that many customers are not satisfied that all security features are only available in the premiere edition. order of M365, "Miller said. (The instructions for Microsoft organize seminars on Microsoft software licenses called "Boot Camps" by the research company.)

"Windows long-time stores," said Miller, were intrigued by the security technology of E5 – the component that aroused the most interest of business customers, largely because that's why it's all about it. Microsoft has repeatedly pointed out – but at the same time surprised by the cost. "A bit of sticker shock," said Miller.

By purchasing $ 12 per user per month from a M365 Enterprise E3 Identity Protection & Threat Protection subscriber ($ 34 per user per month), Microsoft captures 78% of the price of E5. L & # 39; alternative? A sticker component with a shock or non-essential components to the user in E5 prevents the customer from taking E5 into account, giving rise to E3 only or 58% of E5.